Northwest Shoals Community College vs Southern Union State Community College: Softball Program Comparison
Two JUCO programs in the ACCC. Northwest Shoals Community College graduates 6 points more of its students; Southern Union State Community College graduates earn $2,769 more a decade out.
Northwest Shoals Community College
ACCC
Muscle Shoals, AL
JUCOSouthern Union State Community College
ACCC
Wadley, AL
Which one is right for you?
Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.
Lean Northwest Shoals Community College if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Northwest Shoals Community College graduates 6 percentage points more of its students than Southern Union State Community College.
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Northwest Shoals Community College is $1,000 lower than at Southern Union State Community College.
- You need an evaluation this summer: we track 1 camp at Northwest Shoals Community College against none listed at Southern Union State Community College.
Lean Southern Union State Community College if…
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Southern Union State Community College graduates earn about $2,769 more per year a decade after enrolling.
What it costs to go there
Published sticker price: tuition from the federal College Scorecard, room and board from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.
| Measure | Northwest Shoals Community College | Southern Union State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition & fees | $5,131 | $5,040 |
| Out-of-state tuition & fees | $9,001 | $8,910 |
| Room & board | — | $6,000 |
| Est. in-state year, all in | — | $11,040 |
| Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | — | $14,910 |
What you leave with
Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.
| Measure | Northwest Shoals Community College | Southern Union State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 33% — Northwest Shoals Community College leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree | 27% |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $33,828/yr | $36,597/yr — Southern Union State Community College leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $10,000 — Northwest Shoals Community College leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door | $11,000 |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 30% | 30% |
Getting in, and what you'd walk into
Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.
| Measure | Northwest Shoals Community College | Southern Union State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 4,136 | 4,673 |
| Where it is | Muscle Shoals, AL | Wadley, AL |
The softball program itself
Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.
| Measure | Northwest Shoals Community College | Southern Union State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | — | Brandon Cobb |
How you actually get in front of them
Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.
| Measure | Northwest Shoals Community College | Southern Union State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Camps we track | 1 listed (1 with dates) | — |
Scholarship money, honestly
Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
What to do about it this week
Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. A program's own camp is where its staff does most of its evaluating — submit the questionnaire first so they know to look for you.
Northwest Shoals Community College
Find the recruiting questionnaireWe do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.
Camps we track
- Northwest Shoals Fall League11/05/2026 - 11/19/2026 · 8th Grade - 12th Grade · $150
Southern Union State Community College
Find the recruiting questionnaireWe do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.
Camps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Northwest Shoals Community College vs Southern Union State Community College: common questions
- Which school graduates more of its students, Northwest Shoals Community College or Southern Union State Community College?
- Northwest Shoals Community College, at 33% against 27% at Southern Union State Community College (IPEDS 2023-2024). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Northwest Shoals Community College and Southern Union State Community College offer softball scholarships?
- Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
- Do Northwest Shoals Community College and Southern Union State Community College run softball camps?
- We track 1 camp at Northwest Shoals Community College and none currently listed at Southern Union State Community College. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Tuition, graduation, earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard (U.S. Dept. of Education, released June 10, 2026). Room and board, enrollment, and graduation rates at two-year colleges from IPEDS (2023-2024). Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.
We work hard to keep all data for Northwest Shoals Community College and Southern Union State Community College accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
Track both programs, log every coach you contact, and see where you actually stand against each one's recruiting profile.
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